Hiring an Exterior Window Cleaning Pro

Every year, many of the 208 million people who own homes in America try to come up with simple ways to rejuvenate their living space. Many of them turn to their professional window cleaning as the solution. All too often, people forgo keeping up with their window cleaning schedule due to time and the safety concerns of getting up on ladders. Therein lies the value of seeking the help of local pros. But how can you be sure you’re bringing on the right team for the job?

To help vet candidates, we’ve come up with the seven most important questions you should ask prospective cleaners you’re thinking of doing business with.

Keep reading to learn more about…

1. Are They Licensed and Insured?
2. Do They Have Testimonials You Can Share?
3. How Long Have They Been in Business?
4. What’s Included in Their Service?
5. Do Their Employees Undergo Background Checks?
6. Are Their Employees Offered Ongoing Safety Training?
7. When Can They Start?
8. Choosing A Quality Exterior Window Cleaning Pro

1. Are They Licensed and Insured?<?h2>

You should always get the same answer when you ask any window cleaning professional about the most important thing for a contractor to have. The answer? License and insurance. If a cleaning company hasn’t gone through the trouble of getting a license or can’t get one, chances are you don’t want them working on your home. If they’re not insured, you may end up paying dearly if an issue arises.

If a window cleaning company’s employee incurs an injury on your property and their employer doesn’t have worker’s compensation to help, there’s a good chance that that employee will hold you liable for their injury. At best it’s a headache, at worst it’s a financial nightmare. Save yourself the hassle of costly lawsuits and only do business with companies that don’t cut corners.

2. Do They Have Testimonials You Can Share?

One of the best ways to deduce an exterior window cleaning professional’s worth is to see what their previous customers have to say about them. There are a few ways you can go about finding testimonials.

• Search online. Sites like Yelp, Angie’s List, and even Google feature reviews left by previous customers.
• Social media. Very often you’ll hear a lot about bad experiences people have. Look in groups, and on pages to see what people in your community have to say.
• Ask them. If an online search isn’t proving to be helpful, ask your potential new cleaning company for references. Many companies have businesses or homeowners that are happy to share their experiences.

3. How Long Have They Been in Business?

While being in business doesn’t necessarily indicate quality work, chances are that they’ve managed to stay in business because of happy customers. Whether it’s referrals or returning customers, they’ve probably done a lot of window cleaning and have the experience and equipment to handle most jobs.

That being said, newer cleaning companies don’t necessarily lack quality. For example, window cleaners that have years of experience working for others may open their own new business. This comes complete with high-quality equipment and more than enough happy customers— just under their previous employer. Or, like in the case of a Labor Panes franchise, the owner and employees receive extensive training before ever setting foot on their first property.

4. What’s Included in Their Service?

This is a simple question that lets you set your expectations for a cleaning service prior to hiring them. It’s good to know upfront what you can expect, and what services you may not be getting. Asking questions about if they do interior windows or exterior windows is important as well as questions about the frames and screens. Basically, the more in-depth picture you can get in regard to how far your money is going to go, the better.

How Much Does Each Service Cost?

When asking for a complete list of their services, be sure to note if cost estimates are included with that. Professional window cleaning companies charge differently—some charge by the hour, while others may charge by the pane. Be sure to note this in your pricing so that there aren’t any surprises.

And, Do They Have a Satisfaction Guarantee?

It’s so important to ask residential window washing crews if they offer any type of guarantee. For instance, our team promises every client that we will return within one week of service if they notice any issues within 48 hours. Even the best cleaners can miss things, so asking your window cleaning professional about a guarantee is very reasonable.

5. Do Their Employees Undergo Background Checks?

It’s important to be able to trust the people who are inside your home or working to clean the exterior of it. Unfortunately, some window cleaning companies don’t have their employees undergo background checks.

To make sure that you’re comfortable with the people you’ve contracted to work on your property, ask about background checking procedures. Professional companies who conduct background checks are happy to answer without hesitation. Less reputable ones may find excuses not to.

6. Are Their Employees Offered Ongoing Safety Training?

Let’s face it, window cleaning can be dangerous. According to the CDC, in America alone, every year about 500,000 people are treated for injuries related to ladder falls, and around 300 people die from it. The problem is so bad that the CDC created “Ladder Awareness Month” and it’s March.

Knowing this, it is essential to ask about safety training so that you can be sure that your exterior window cleaning service provider is up to the task of servicing your home in a manner that’s safe for them and their surroundings as well. A qualified window cleaning operation should take safety seriously. To that end, they should welcome the conversation of how they prepare their team to tackle jobs with the utmost care.

7. When Can They Start?

If everything checks out with the window cleaners you’re thinking about hiring, the final question you’ll want to ask is about their availability. A good window cleaner is often a busy one. Yes, ideally it’s nice to have very quick service, and a window cleaner that’s readily available doesn’t mean that they offer sub-par services. But, knowing that they are in high demand is a good sign.

Choosing A Quality Exterior Window Cleaning Pro

Clean windows mean a better-looking home both inside and out. To get your windows cleaned safely and efficiently, we recommend using our questions above to hire an interior and exterior window cleaning professional in your area.

If you have a home or business that could use professional cleaning and you are located in any of our service areas, let our team at Labor Panes provide you with a free estimate! Our team is made up of consumer-focused exterior window cleaning specialists that have been helping improve the quality of residential and commercial properties for years.

Contact us today to learn more about our services and to book your window cleaning!